WALTER You tired, ain't you? Tired of everything. Me, the boy, the way we live- this beat-up hole- everything. (32)
The character that is most trapped in Raisin in the Sun, is most likely walter, although the others are not far behind. Walter from the very first scene converses openly about his content in his job, and living in mediocrity. He has a dream because of the all he sees around his is people assimilating with the life they have been handed, not changing it. He finds an opportunity to dream, and like with most dreams, he does not think it thoroughly through. Like Beneatha in her failed activities, walter rushes in to this far greater business transaction based solely on the fact that he needs a better life apart from this suffocating apartment. This entrapment lead him to abandon the apartment for the majority of his time there. He was either drinking, or at "work". When he was at home, his friends followed his, that were characterized as people unsuited to go into business with. Walter might have seen this if he felt he had more time.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
A Raisin in the Sun- Generation
"being a women who has adjusted to many things in life and over come many more." (39)
From Mama's Generation to Trevor's their has many apparent changes, Beween all of the characters. In Mama's time abortion would be unheard of, but to Ruth and her Generation, it is an act of Desperation. Walter's father would not have made such a risky investment. In that generation, they were more grateful for what they had. Obviously the biggest one is between Beneatha and Mama. Mama tries to encourage Beneatha to follow her dreams. However, Mama talks about slavery, and how she is still grateful not to be a slave. Beneatha want to tip the old status quo, by connecting with her heritage, instead of trying to assimilate to the American culture, white culture. Mama even buys a house in white neighborhood, showing her willing to give in to the American heritage.
From Mama's Generation to Trevor's their has many apparent changes, Beween all of the characters. In Mama's time abortion would be unheard of, but to Ruth and her Generation, it is an act of Desperation. Walter's father would not have made such a risky investment. In that generation, they were more grateful for what they had. Obviously the biggest one is between Beneatha and Mama. Mama tries to encourage Beneatha to follow her dreams. However, Mama talks about slavery, and how she is still grateful not to be a slave. Beneatha want to tip the old status quo, by connecting with her heritage, instead of trying to assimilate to the American culture, white culture. Mama even buys a house in white neighborhood, showing her willing to give in to the American heritage.
A Raisin in the Sun- Setting
"Still we can see that at some time, a time probably no longer remembered by the family (except perhaps for MAMA), the furnishings of this room were actually selected with care." (23)
The setting of an old, outdated apartment, has the most effect on Mama, because even though she doesn't let it show much, she has wanted to move. This was only soposed to be a temporary situation. Every year that passed stuck in that apartment, a part of the hope for getting out dwindled. She still had hope though, which is why she invested a portion of her money in a house. This is ironic, because in the first act, she was the one who seemed most at home there. This is apparent when she is cleaning it with Beneatha, and doesn't want anyone to come over when the apartment looks bad. This assumes that she has some pride in the apartment when it is clean. Again, this was not her first choice, and the reason she was content living such squalor, when other characters where pleading to leave, is based on her character. As a mother, she is good at putting others needs first. The apartment was in the best intrest of the family.
The setting of an old, outdated apartment, has the most effect on Mama, because even though she doesn't let it show much, she has wanted to move. This was only soposed to be a temporary situation. Every year that passed stuck in that apartment, a part of the hope for getting out dwindled. She still had hope though, which is why she invested a portion of her money in a house. This is ironic, because in the first act, she was the one who seemed most at home there. This is apparent when she is cleaning it with Beneatha, and doesn't want anyone to come over when the apartment looks bad. This assumes that she has some pride in the apartment when it is clean. Again, this was not her first choice, and the reason she was content living such squalor, when other characters where pleading to leave, is based on her character. As a mother, she is good at putting others needs first. The apartment was in the best intrest of the family.
Monday, February 27, 2012
The Glass Menagerie- Lost Contact with Reality
"Why I remember one Sunday afternoon Blue Mountain-"
"I know whats coming"
"Yes. But let her tell it."
"Again?" (1238)
Amanda had many gentalman callers when she was young, and she picked the wrong one. Now she is deluding herself into thinking that she is not living in a small tenement with her adult, unmarried children by recounting frequently stories of her various gentleman callers. When this subject is first introduced at the breakfast table in scene 2, Tom doesn't want to hear it, but laura allows it, partly because she might be trying to fantasies about what it would be like to have that many gentalman callers pining over her. More so, she is disconnected to reality because of her glass collection. When she was talking to Jim about her relationship with them, it sounded humorous and almost as though she was joking, but considering how much time she spends with her collection, it would not be outside the cone of meaning to say that she did talk to her collection, like a child with an imaginary friend. She did not have any real friends, so she substituted human contact for a life with her glass figures.
"I know whats coming"
"Yes. But let her tell it."
"Again?" (1238)
Amanda had many gentalman callers when she was young, and she picked the wrong one. Now she is deluding herself into thinking that she is not living in a small tenement with her adult, unmarried children by recounting frequently stories of her various gentleman callers. When this subject is first introduced at the breakfast table in scene 2, Tom doesn't want to hear it, but laura allows it, partly because she might be trying to fantasies about what it would be like to have that many gentalman callers pining over her. More so, she is disconnected to reality because of her glass collection. When she was talking to Jim about her relationship with them, it sounded humorous and almost as though she was joking, but considering how much time she spends with her collection, it would not be outside the cone of meaning to say that she did talk to her collection, like a child with an imaginary friend. She did not have any real friends, so she substituted human contact for a life with her glass figures.
The Glass Menagerie- Sympathetic Character
"Well, well, well, I never even noticed" "Let yourself go, Laura, just let yourself go." (1282)
Laura's personality certainly revolves around her physical handicap. Because she is crippled, she has always felt different, and therefore would shy away from social situations, thinking that the people around her are having the same thoughts about her that she has about her self. This defect makes her so self concerned that she can not see passed this one aspect of her as a person. Because she does not notice her beauty, or intellect, she thinks that no one else is noticing them. This makes her subservient to her mother because she can not fend for her self, not because of her disability, but because of what she allowed her disability to do to her. Jim becomes important i this regard because he is the only person apert from her family that she has ever opened up to, and he tells her that what she views herself as is wrong. Even though they can not be together he teaches her that she as worth, and another guy would be lucky to have her, so that next time a gentleman caller comes, she will be ready.
Laura's personality certainly revolves around her physical handicap. Because she is crippled, she has always felt different, and therefore would shy away from social situations, thinking that the people around her are having the same thoughts about her that she has about her self. This defect makes her so self concerned that she can not see passed this one aspect of her as a person. Because she does not notice her beauty, or intellect, she thinks that no one else is noticing them. This makes her subservient to her mother because she can not fend for her self, not because of her disability, but because of what she allowed her disability to do to her. Jim becomes important i this regard because he is the only person apert from her family that she has ever opened up to, and he tells her that what she views herself as is wrong. Even though they can not be together he teaches her that she as worth, and another guy would be lucky to have her, so that next time a gentleman caller comes, she will be ready.
The Glass Menagerie- Tom's Conflict
"My glass!...Drops awkwardly to his knees to collect the fallen glass" (1248)
Tom has been forced into a life which he despises. He has always wanted more for himself that working a factory job and because of his mom and sister, this is exactly what he gets stuck doing. He is torn between his love of his family and resentment that they are holding him back from going out and doing the adventures that he sees on the movie screen. In scene one this conflict is introduced immediately with Amanda nagging him about his breakfast. Characters in movies don't have to go through this kind of daily scrutiny, and tom can't stand when him mom treats him this way. However, he usually does what she tells him because she is still his mom and he loves her. If he didn't, he would have left long before. There is a different conflict with laura. He pities her more than amanda does, but he wants to see her happy. This relationship is far healthier than his relationship with amanda, because they understand each other far mor than they disagree. Like when Tom breaks one of the glass animal, laura is crushed, but understands that it was an accident.
Tom has been forced into a life which he despises. He has always wanted more for himself that working a factory job and because of his mom and sister, this is exactly what he gets stuck doing. He is torn between his love of his family and resentment that they are holding him back from going out and doing the adventures that he sees on the movie screen. In scene one this conflict is introduced immediately with Amanda nagging him about his breakfast. Characters in movies don't have to go through this kind of daily scrutiny, and tom can't stand when him mom treats him this way. However, he usually does what she tells him because she is still his mom and he loves her. If he didn't, he would have left long before. There is a different conflict with laura. He pities her more than amanda does, but he wants to see her happy. This relationship is far healthier than his relationship with amanda, because they understand each other far mor than they disagree. Like when Tom breaks one of the glass animal, laura is crushed, but understands that it was an accident.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
As You Like It- Nature vs. Chance
"Let us sit and mock the good housewife Fortune from her weel, that her gifts may henceforth be bestowed equally." (I ii 6)
One theme to As You Like It is that what you are born to do and what actually happens are at odds. Rosalie was born to lead a privileged life as the princess of a duke, but this all changed when her father was banish. Orlando was also born in to privilege that he would have had if his brother had not been selfish. Their Nature was shaken by fate when they entered the woods, living off the land. Ultimately, their natures won out as Duke Fredrick had a conversion and named Duke Senior the Duke once again. Chance throughs us off the path naturally destined for us at birth, but generally things will all work out. This theme is far different that most of other Shakespearian plays. This could coincide with the title "As You Like It. Shakespeare might have been responding to people saying that his plays where too depressing. This would be humorous. It is as if Shakespeare was saying, "you wanted comedy, heris an idealized view of the world".
One theme to As You Like It is that what you are born to do and what actually happens are at odds. Rosalie was born to lead a privileged life as the princess of a duke, but this all changed when her father was banish. Orlando was also born in to privilege that he would have had if his brother had not been selfish. Their Nature was shaken by fate when they entered the woods, living off the land. Ultimately, their natures won out as Duke Fredrick had a conversion and named Duke Senior the Duke once again. Chance throughs us off the path naturally destined for us at birth, but generally things will all work out. This theme is far different that most of other Shakespearian plays. This could coincide with the title "As You Like It. Shakespeare might have been responding to people saying that his plays where too depressing. This would be humorous. It is as if Shakespeare was saying, "you wanted comedy, heris an idealized view of the world".
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